Destinations, Travel tips, Festivals and Public Holidays
Posts tagged history
Assumption Day 2013
Mar 9th
Assumption Day 2013 (The Assumption of Mary)
Assumption Day, also known as The Assumption of Mary, is a feast day for the Christians to commemorate the assumption of Virgin Mary into heaven. It is celebrated annually on August 15 in some European and American countries such as France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Colombia, Ecuador, and so on. The Christians believe that when Mary was dead, her body and soul both ascended into the glory in the heaven. Some countries make the Assumption Day as the public holiday while some others consider it as a common busy day, though most Christians celebrate this feast by going to the church. More >
August Monday 2013
Mar 4th
August Monday 2013 – The Commemoration of Slavery Abolition
August Monday, also called as the Emancipation Day, is a public holiday in some provinces of Canada, some districts in US and some ex-British colonies countries in Caribbean. This event is held to commemorate the abolition of slavery, especially the slavery of the Africans, in those territories. People generally celebrate August Monday on the first Monday of August every year by organizing some attractions including carnival and traditional performances. More >
Corpus Christi 2013
Mar 1st
Corpus Christi is a Christian feast to honor the Body of Christ in Christian-majority countries. This feast is usually held on Thursday after the Trinity Sunday, or on the next Sunday for some districts in US. In some European and South American countries such as Austria, Poland, Portugal, Bolivia, and Brazil, Corpus Christi is celebrated as a public holiday when the shops and offices are quiet while some other countries such as Australia, UK, and US do not treat this feast as a national holiday. More >
Take a Look at the Festivities of Chinese New Year
Jan 6th
Chinese New Year is the biggest and the most important festival for Chinese people which is celebrated for no less than 15 days. The festive and joyful keep occurring from the first until the fifteenth day, and people do certain kinds of customs and traditions to celebrate New Year. The objectives of celebrating Chinese New Year are to commemorate the end of winter and to welcome the Spring. The date when the festival takes place is on the first day of the first month on the Chinese Lunisolar Calendar – the upcoming Chinese New Year will be held on January 23, 2012. More >
Chichibu Yomatsuri 2013, Largest Float Festivals in Japan
Dec 22nd
Chichibu Yomatsuri, Japanese words for Chichibu’s Night Festival, is one of the three largest float festivals in Japan held for two days in December every year. The festival begins on December 3rd in the evening and lasts on the night of December 4th in Chichibu shrines, Chichibu city in Saitama Prefecture. Japanese people celebrate Chichibu Yomatsuri to respect 6 kamis (deities) guarded the town, so during the celebration of the festival, 6 floats representing the 6 deities are made and decorated with carvings, flowers, and hundreds lantern before lifted around the shrine. More >
Yuan Xiao Jie: The Chinese Lantern Festival
Dec 20th
The Lantern Festival, also called Yuan Xiao Jie, Shangyuan, Yuen Siu Festival, and Chap Go Meh, is a festival to celebrate the first full moon after the Chinese New Year. Chinese people all over the world celebrate this festival by gathering around and holding feast with family. The Lantern Festival is also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day because lovers usually show their affection to each other in this full moon. The festival got its name – Lantern Festival – from the tradition of Chinese people to set out a big number of red-glowing lanterns along the street. More >
Boxing Day 2013
Dec 8th
In some commonwealth countries, Boxing Day is widely known as a holiday given for one or two days after Christmas. A few countries named the Boxing Day differently, for example, Ireland call it as St. Stephen’s Day while South Africa once called it as Day of the Goodwill before called it back as the Boxing Day in 1994. Nobody really knows why the holiday after Christmas Day was called as the Boxing Day, though some guessed that the names was derived from the folk etymology that ‘boxing’ has something to do with the sport. That’s why, some people celebrate Boxing Day by holding some kind of sports events. More >
Africa Day 2013
Oct 21st
Africa Day – The United Moment of African Countries
Africa Day is held on May 25 in the African countries to commemorate the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, known as African Union (AU) at present. African Union, covering 54 members of African states, is meant to face the troubles such as poverty, natural disasters, extreme weather, and armed conflict in Africa. The celebration of Africa Day itself acts as a reminder for the countries in Africa that they are not alone in dealing with the problems. More >
Ascension Day 2013
Oct 21st
Ascension Day 2013
Ascension Day is commemoration of the day when resurrected body of Jesus is believed to ascend to the heaven. It occurs 40 days after the Easter, the Jesus’ resurrection moment. For many countries, the Ascension Day is considered as a public holiday in which most offices and shops are closed. Ascension Day, also known as the Feast of Ascension and Father’s Day in Germany, is one of the major feasts for the Catholics around the world. More >
Jidai Matsuri 2013 – Festival of Ages in Japan
Oct 13th
Kyoto has a festal annual festival called Jidai Matsuri or festival of the Ages. Jidai Matsuri started in 1895 when people in Japan commemorated the establishment of Heian Jingu shrine in Kyoto. People celebrate the festival on October 22 by parading from Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Jingu shrine while lifting a small imitation of shrine called Mikoshi. The small imitation of shrine is meant as the representation of the former emperors. More >
